Revisional Bariatric Surgery: When & Why It’s Needed
Millions of people over the past decades have benefited from bariatric surgery, which has helped them lose weight and improve overall health and quality of life. However, in some cases, people might not achieve the expected results. This is where revisional weight loss surgery comes into play, in which a bariatric procedure might need to be performed again.
The need for revisional bariatric surgery is lower than 1% of cases. This procedure is preferred when a previous bariatric surgery has failed or not produced desired weight loss results. Revisional weight loss surgery, by nature, involves much more work and is significantly more complicated than initial weight loss surgery.
Moreover, the procedure requires a surgeon who is highly skilled and has a lot of experience in dealing with the particular procedures. Dr. Venugopal Pareek, one of the top weight loss surgeons in Hyderabad, specialises in and has extensive experience with complex revisional weight loss procedures.
Whether to have a revisional procedure or not is a personal decision, but every patient who is considering this procedure has to consult a specialist and talk through their choices and figure out the safest and most effective next step.
Here are some factors that may indicate the need for revisional bariatric surgery.
- When primary bariatric surgery is inaccurate.
- Insufficient weight loss.
- Regaining lost weight and returning to conditions like diabetes
- Complications following initial surgery, such as chronic ulcers.
- Poor outcomes, like persistent health problems or no improvement in quality of life.
- A desire to shift to another type of weight loss surgery, for instance, from gastric banding to gastric bypass.
- BMI increased to 40 or above.
- Complications in people who have undergone gastric band surgery, such as slipping of the band or not inflating properly.
- Complications in people who have undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, such as stretching of the stomach pouch.
- Complications in people who have undergone a sleeve gastrectomy include stretching of the sleeve or a banana-shaped stomach.
- Developing a hiatal hernia.
When & Why Bariatric Surgery Is Needed.
Revisional bariatric surgery is more than a correction; it is an approach carefully planned to restore the patient’s health, fulfill weight loss goals, and address any physical or functional problems caused by the prior operation. It happens when the stomach or intestines alter their shape or become larger over time, and consequently, the patient regains weight, or the previous co-morbidities, such as diabetes, hypertension, or sleep apnea, come back.
In a scenario where a surgically effective procedure is performed, but due to metabolism irregularities, lifestyle changes, and underlying medical conditions, the patients do not get the results they have expected. In such cases, a revisional surgery might help the patient either by reducing the size of the stomach, altering the digestive tract, or by changing the bariatric surgery to another bariatric procedure that is more compatible with the patient’s body and desired goals.
Sometimes, post-surgical complications like pouch enlargement after Roux‑en‑Y gastric bypass (RYGB) procedure, slippage of band after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), sleeve dilation after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), chronic ulcers after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), or reflux can become painful and may negatively affect nutrition and the quality of life.
A revisional surgery is a surgical procedure that deals with such problems, thus providing relief and enabling patients to have control over their health and weight loss journey.
This revisional weight loss surgery, as it demands great accuracy and decision-making, should be carried out only by a highly skilled surgeon such as Dr. Venugopal Pareek, who has 18+ years of experience and is an expert in performing advanced and complex revisional bariatric procedures. He will thoroughly assess the patient, customize a treatment plan, and perform a revisional surgery, which might be the best solution that opens up a new and lasting chance for weight loss and general health improvement for the patient.
Revisional bariatric surgery is a second chance in the life of a patient who experienced inadequate results or the development of complications. Although it is technically more challenging, if proper evaluation, careful planning, and surgical skill are employed, it can still be a safe and effective way to help patients get back to a healthy state and pursue their weight loss goals.
If you are facing persistent problems after bariatric surgery or are unhappy with the achieved results, do not lose hope. Consult a specialized and experienced doctor like Dr. Venugopal Pareek. As one of the best bariatric and revisional weight loss surgeons in Hyderabad, he gives the best possible treatment for every patient. His vast experience in advanced laparoscopic and revisional bariatric procedures ensures safety and the unique needs of the patient.
